Bed commode



A. J. SHUDDE July 14, 1953 BED COMMODE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fi1ed Aug. 12. 1949 ATTORNEY A. J. SHUDDE July 14, 1953 BED COMMODE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 12,1949

ill/red J 6 ATTORNEY v Patented July 14, i953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BED, QCOMMODVE Alfred rshilaae, Houston, Tex. Application August 12. 1949, Serial No. 109,907

This invention relates to a container for re.-

=ceiving waste eliminations from human bodies and particularly relates to commodes adapted for use by invalidsor bed-ridden persons'with out disturbing them from a reclining position.

The great discomfort in the use ofconventional 'bedpans is well known and to alleviate such discomforture there has been a succession of devices in the past; None of the. devices,- including those to be inserted into a slot in the mattress; of the prior art, however, have been acceptableto the-public hospitals, nurses and .doctors'generallyfor a variety of reasons. A few of these reasons are that the design of the bedpan is such that it isuncomfortable to the user, thebedpan-is not stably secured when in use; and the bedpan cannot be sterilized in standardized hospital equipment thereby requiring a sterilization separate from the conventional procedureof sterilization.-

Accordingly, it is a feature ofmy invention to provide a bed commode which may be inserted into a cooperating aperture in a mattress nor mally closed by a plug which is firmly anchored into position and in which use bedridden persons need not be lifted on to or off the pan but merely rolled or slid thereon or thereof thereby eliminating the difficult task of lifting the patient onto and off the pan and obviating any ill effects on bedridden persons due to lifting of their 'bodies as well as eliminating heavy lifting by. nurses and attendants. It is a particularfeature that the pan will not spill when removing the patient therefrom as may be the casein conventional'bedpa'ns. It is an object of my invention to provide a bed commode which will be comfortable to the user and which may be quickly and easily in- ;sertedinto place in the opening provided-therefor in the mattress with a minimum amount of effort.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a bed commode which may be sterilized in conventional hospital sterilizers as readily and as easily as the conventional bedpans which repose on the mattress when in use.

A still further feature of my invention is the provision of a bed commode possessing the above features and fulfilling the above objects which is easily and inexpensively manufactured and produced. c

Other and further objects of my invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like character references refer to like parts throughout the several views and'wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating my bed I commode in place in a hospital mattress and the plug normally closing the opening provided in the mattress to receive the commode removed therefrom. I g

Fig. .2 is a sideelevation, partly. insection,

' illustrating my bed commode in .place in the mattress and'illustrating the manner in which the mattress may be elevated to provide comfort to the user, A Fig. 3 is a cross-sectionl view taken along the line 3-3 of Fi 2, I v v Fig. 4 is similar to Fig. 3 but illustrates the plug in place in the mattress,

. Fig. 5 is a plan view of my improved bedcomof bed or mattress may be utilized for my purpose. As illustrated, the mattress I0 is' supported on the bed I2 by means of the conventional springs l 4.-,

I have provided the opening l6 which is preferably locatedonthe transverse center and to one side of the longitudinal center of the mat- ,tress. ,Normally the opening I6 is closed by the plug l8 andthe removable plug [8 is preferably formed of the same materialas that of the mattress. I-n thisv connection it is preferable that the so-called foam-rubber mattresses be utilized as the plugilll willnot tend to provide an uneven surface to'the mattress thereby resulting in discomforture to the patient as may be the case in other types of mattresses. In the event the padded or innerspring type of mattress is employed it may be desirable to provide the plug of foam-rubber so that a more even surface is provided to the bedridden.

The container or bed commode for receiving waste eliminations from human bodies is designated by the numeral 20 and is adapted to be inserted into the opening 16 provided in the mattress H]. In order that the container 20 may be comfortable to the user the general configuration thereof is coniform or substantially ovate .with the forward end 22 being narrowed with respect to the aft end 24. So thatthe vessel 20 3 may be firmly anchored into place in the opening I6 I have provided substantially flat vertical walls 26 to define the sides of the vessel 20 and the substantially flat bottom surface 28 to engage and repose on the conventional springs l4 of the bed [2. I have provided a seat portion 30 which conforms to the same general configuration of the vessel 20 and which provides a flange portion 32 which engages the mattress I0 about the horizontal periphery of the opening [6. This flange 32 is slightly curved downwardly and outwardly and is integral with the inner flange 34, the two flanges making up the seat 30 proper. The inner flange 34 is down wardly and inwardly inclined to provide a com fortable seat to the user and I have provided the inwardly extending and downwardly curving lip portions 36 disposed on either side of the m ternal flange 34 immediately beyond the transverse center of the vessel 20 in the direction of the forward end 22. Thus a comfortable seat is provided for the user and it should be noted that the vertical walls 25 are the same in height 'completely around the container.

The container or vessel is preferably made out of stainless steel but any suitable material may be used, and if certain metals which may corrode are employed, it would be" preferable to plate the same with a corrosion resistant substance. For hospital use the over-all dimension of the bed commode should notexcee'd'that of the conventional bedpan utilized on top of the mattress in order that the bed commode may be sterilized in the standard sterilization equipment commonly found in hospitals.

serted into the opening quickly and easily and i, by means of the flange 32, the substantially straight and vertical side walls 26, and the flat bottom 28 of the vessel engaging the springs H, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the vessel or container will be securely positioned in the mat- 1.

tress. The patient may then be' either rolled over onto the container or gently slid thereon, and, if desired, the mattress I!) may be elevated to the position illustrated in Fig. 2 by conventional means, not shown, and the linkage illustratedin dotted lines inFig. 2.

After use by the patient, the patient may be either rolled or gentlyslide oil the pan, the vessel 20 may then be'removed and'the plug" inserted into the opening IE, the bedding put back in place, and the patient placed in any desired position. The bed commode 20 may then be removed and emptied and sterilized in the conventional sterilization equipment utilized in hospitals, thereby avoiding a separate sterilization process. If desired a rubberized or neoprene apron containing an opening conforming to the configuration of the pan may be used in conjunction with the pan, but such is not necessary inasmuch as my bed commode is firmly anchored into place, will not spill over and has deep sides completely about the pan.

Thus my bed commode provides a safe, securely anchored, means for the patient in receiving human waste eliminations, provides a. means which may be readily sterilized in conventional equipment, and is comfortable to the user. If my invention is to be used in the home, the flange portions 32 and 34 defining the seat 30 may be made larger for comfort and to provide 'a more secure anchor inasmuch as the home-type bed commode does not have to fit the specifications of the conventional sterilizer.

Thus it is apparent that I have provided a bed commode possessing the features and obtaining the objects set forth, and what I intend to claim by Letters Patent is set forth in the scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

A bed commode adapted to be firmly and securely anchored in a substantially ovate opening in a mattress,'said opening being narrowed at one end and having substantially straight vertical walls, the mattress being supported by substantially horizontal springs comprising, a substantially ovate body narrowed at one end, a seat on said body defined by inner and outer downwardly curved flange members providing an inner and outer peripheral flange, inner lip members integral with said seat proximate the forward end, said body defined by substantially vertical'sides of a height equal to the depth of the mattress into which the body is inserted and a substantially planar bottom.

ALFRED J. SHUDDE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number 

